System for mounting to a facade wall of a building

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system for mounting panels to a facade wall of a building, said system comprising panels, and mounting means for mounting said panels to the facade wall, spaced at some distance therefrom, said mounting means comprising: elongated suspension members extending in horizontal direction and spaced apart from each other along the facade wall, and hook members attached to the side of the panels facing towards the facade wall, said hook members being arranged for suspending engagement with the elongated suspension elements.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/623,111 filed Apr. 12, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for mounting panels to a facade wall of a building, said system comprising panels, and mounting means for mounting said panels to the facade wall, spaced at some distance therefrom, said mounting means comprising: elongated suspension members extending in horizontal direction and spaced apart from each other along the facade wall, and hook members attached to the side of the panels facing towards the facade wall, said hook members being arranged for suspending engagement with the elongated suspension members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A system for mounting panels to a facade wall of a building, said system according to the above preamble is generally known. Panels are spaced apart from each other at some distance and provide a proper shielding of the facade wall as well as a more attractive and aesthetic look.

As the panels are mounted to the facade wall spaced at some distance therefrom, an intermediate gap between the facade wall and the panels is created, which space can be subjected to the accumulation of moisture, water (rain) and other contaminations. These effects will adversely affect the functionality of the mounting system, and may result in constructional failures.

In order to obviate the above mentioned drawbacks according to the invention said mounting means are provided with means for promoting the drainage of water and/or air away from said facade wall.

In an improved embodiment said drainage means comprise a lower flange part of said elongated suspension member, said lower flange part extending parallel and at some distance away from said facade wall. The flange part extending parallel and at some distance away from said facade wall functions as a separation shield shielding the facade wall from moisture, rain water and other types of contaminations.

More in particular said drainage means comprise a deflecting plate element for engagement with said lower flange part and a next lower hook member. Herewith a proper shielding is obtained for shielding off the inner space created by the flange part extending parallel and at some distance away from said facade wall, thereby preventing the facade wall being contaminated and adversely affected by moisture and rain water. Also by using deflecting plates of different lengths the mounting systems for panels can easily be adapted depending on the dimensions of the panels used, in particular their height.

To ensure a proper but above all secure engagement of the deflection plate with the hook member, according to an aspect of the invention said hook member is provided with a groove at their upper side thereof for accommodating the lower edge of said deflecting plate element.

As a further improvement for the engagement of the deflection plate with the hook member, said hook member is provided with an upright ridge adjacent to said groove.

Furthermore to improve drainage of moisture and water collecting between the facade wall and the mounting panels, said elongated suspension members are provided with drainage openings at their upper side thereof.

In yet an improved embodiment of the mounting system according to the invention adjusting means are present for adjusting the hook member relative to the elongated suspension members. In particular said adjusting means comprises a setting bolt accommodated in a treaded opening at the upper side of a hook member and engaging said upper side of said elongated suspension member. This allows for a proper and easy adjustment depending on the height of the panels being used or to set the split between two adjacent panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a drawing, which disclose in:

FIG. 1 a general view of a facade wall provided with a mounting system for panels according to the invention;

FIG. 2 a a detailed view of an first embodiment of the mounting system for panels according to the invention;

FIG. 2 b a detailed view of a further of the mounting system for panels according to the invention;

FIG. 3 a another detailed view of a further embodiment of the mounting system for panels according to the invention;

FIG. 3 b another detailed view of a further embodiment of the mounting system for panels according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a better understanding of the invention, like elements will be indicated by the same numerals in the description of the figures below. FIG. 1 shows a building 1 having a facade wall 100 to which multiple panels 101 are mounted.

The panels 101 are mounted to the facade wall 100 of building 1 using a mounting system implementing mounting means. The panels 101 are spaced apart from each other at some distance and provide a proper shielding of the facade wall as well as a more attractive and aesthetic look. The panels 110 intend to protect the facade wall from climatic influences such as water and wind.

Due to the fact that the panels 101 are mounted to the facade wall spaced at some distance therefrom water and other contaminations may accumulate between the facade wall and the panels which is undesired in terms of life-span, safety and constructional damage.

In FIGS. 2 a-2 b and 3 a-3 b several embodiments are shown of a system for mounting panels to a facade wall of a building according to the invention. The mounting system is provided with means for promoting the drainage of such contaminations away from the facade wall.

As shown in FIG. 2 a reference numeral 10-10′ denotes mounting means for mounting the panels 101-101′ to the facade wall 1. The mounting means 10-10′ are composed of elongated suspension members which extend in horizontal direction and are spaced apart from each other along the facade wall 1. Each elongated suspension member 10-10′ is mounted to the facade wall 1 by means of suitable mounting screws 15-15′.

Each elongated suspension member 10-10′ is provided with a wall flange part 10 a-10 a= which is placed against the facade wall 1 and which accommodates an opening which fits the mounting screw 15-15′.

According to the invention the mounting system is provided with means which promote the drainage of water and/or air away from the facade wall 1. To this end the elongated suspension members 10-10′ are provided with an intermediate flange part 10 b-10 b= which has a more or less perpendicular orientation with respect to the facade wall 1.

The intermediate flange part 10 b-10 b= continues in a lower flange part 10 c-10 c= which extends parallel to and at some distance away from the facade wall 1.

The mounting system also comprises hook members 30-30′ having a panel flange part 30 a for mounting the hook member to the side of the panels 101-101′ facing the facade wall 1. Each panel flange part 30 a is provided with multiple openings through which a mounting screw 31-31′ can be accommodated for attaching the hook members 30-30′ to the panel 101-101′.

The hook members 30-30′ is provided with an upper U-shaped flange part 30 b which continues in a wall flange part 30 c-30 c=. Wall flange part 30 c-30 c= can be received in a space 60 created between the wall 1 and a U-shaped upper flange part 10 d-10 d= of the elongated suspension members 10-10′.

With this construction each panel 101-101′ can be properly suspended using the hook members 30-30′ with the elongated suspension members 10-10′.

The lower flange part 10 c serves as a shielding plate positioned parallel and at some distance from the facade wall 1 and promotes the drainage of any water and/or air present in the space between the facade wall 1 and the mounting panels 101-101′ away from the facade wall 1.

Preferably a deflecting plate element 20 is mounted to the lower flange part 10 c by means of a mounting screw 21. Said deflecting plate element 20 is provided with a lower edge 20′ which engages a groove 30 e= of the next lower hook member 30′. Together with the lower flange part 10 c the deflecting plate element 20 provides a proper closure for the space 50 between the lower flange part 10 c and the facade wall 1 thereby draining any moisture, water and/or other contaminations away from the facade wall 1.

To ensure a proper engagement of the lower edge 20′ of the deflecting plate element 20 in groove 30 e-30 e= of each hook member 30-30′ the upper U-shaped flange part 30 b-30 b= of each hook member 30-30′ is provided with an upright ridge 30 f-30 f= adjacent to said groove 30 e-30 e=.

In order to allow the drainage of moisture, water and/or air across the intermediate flange part 10 b-10 b= and the lower flange part 10 c-10 c= and the deflecting plate element 20 away from the facade wall 1 each elongated suspension member 10-10′ is provided with multiple drainage openings 10 e-10 e= which are spaced apart from each other.

Hereto any moisture, water and/or other contaminations such as sand or mud will drain through to the drainage openings 10 e-10 e= and will displace under gravity or air flow between the facade wall 1 and the panels 101-101′ across the intermediate flange part 10 b-10 b= and the lower flange part 10 c and the deflecting plate element 20. Thus, said contaminations will not adversely affect the facade wall 1 in terms of life span, safety and constructional damage.

Reference numeral 38 denotes a setting bolt being part of adjusting means for adjusting the orientation of the hook members 30-30′ (and therefore the panels 101-101′ mounted to said hook members) with respect to the elongated suspension members 10-10′. The adjusting means also comprise a threaded opening 30 g-30 g= present in the upper U-shaped flange part 30 b-30 b= of each hook member 30-30′, which setting bolt 38 engages the upper side of the U-shaped upper flange part 10 d-10 d= of each elongated suspension member.

In FIG. 2 b an embodiment is disclosed having a more or less similar configuration as the embodiment of FIG. 2 a.

However in this embodiment= the elongated suspension members 10-10′ have a different design, as the lower flange part 10 c-10 c= and the U-shaped upper flange part 10 d-10 d= are offset and are not positioned in the same plane (seen in vertical direction). The offset configuration of the U-shaped upper flange part 10 d-10 d= and the lower flange part 10 c-10 c= allow water or moisture dripping from the upper members under the influence of gravity to bypass the top of the suspension members directly lying beneath, and also reduces the splash effect of dripping water and, in turn, reducing the amount of water that contacts the back wall.

In FIG. 3 a another embodiment of the mounting system according to the invention is disclosed wherein the lower flange part 10 c of the elongated suspension members 10 rests on a base plate 70 which is mounted to the facade wall 1 using a screw 39. Base plate 70 is accommodated in the mounting system according to the invention at its lower most location near the foundation 7 of the building (and ground level 8). In particular the base plate 70 is provided with one or more openings or perforations 70 a allowing ventilation and drainage of the system.

In FIG. 3 b an embodiment is disclosed having a more or less similar configuration as the embodiment of FIG. 3 a.

However in this embodiment= the elongated suspension members 10 have a different design, as the lower flange part 10 c and the U-shaped upper flange part 10 d are offset and are not positioned in the same plane (seen in vertical direction). The offset configuration of the U-shaped upper flange part 10 d and the lower flange part 10 c allow water or moisture dripping from the upper members under the influence of gravity to bypass the top of the suspension members directly lying beneath, and also reduces the splash effect of dripping water and, in turn, reducing the amount of water that contacts the back wall. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for mounting panels to a facade wall of a building, said system comprising: panels, and mounting means for mounting said panels to the facade wall, spaced at some distance therefrom, said mounting means comprising: elongated suspension members extending in horizontal direction and spaced apart from each other along the facade wall, and hook members attached to the side of the panels facing towards the facade wall, said hook members being arranged for suspending engagement with the elongated suspension members, and wherein said mounting means are provided with means for promoting the drainage of water and/or air away from said facade wall.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said drainage means comprise a lower flange part of said elongated suspension member, said lower flange part extending parallel and at some distance away from said facade wall.
 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said drainage means comprise a deflecting plate element for engagement with said lower flange part and a next lower hook member.
 4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said hook member is provided with a groove at their upper side thereof for accommodating the lower edge of said deflecting plate element.
 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said hook member is provided with an upright ridge adjacent to said groove.
 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said elongated suspension members are provided with drainage openings at their upper side thereof.
 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein adjusting means are present for adjusting the hook member relative to the elongated suspension members.
 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said adjusting means comprises a setting bolt accommodated in a treaded opening at the upper side of a hook member and engaging said upper side of said elongated suspension member. 